Flexible button



Feb. 22,1927. I 1,618,398 A. D. WINSLOW a FLEXIBLE BUTTON Filed Junele, 1924v flaw/flow the accompanying drawings proceeds.

ever, I desire to have it t'iist-inctly understood that I do not intend to limit myself Patented Feb. 22, 1927.

ARTHUR n. WINSLOW, or WILMETTE, ILLINOIS.

FLEXIBLE BUTTON.

Application filed June 716,

My invention relates to buttons, and more particularly to a but-ton made of -Etlexible material. g

It is a-purpose of my invention to provide a button that is made of flexible -ma terial so that the same will not be broken "when the garment to which the same isa-ttached is run through a wringer or siniilar .ineinber exerting pressure thereon.

'It is a further purpose of the invention to provide a button'that is made of resilient material, said button being reinforced so that "the stitches for securing the same to the garment will not cut through the button. I

It is still another purpose of the invention to provide a button of the above H1011- tionedcharacter which is made entirely of resilient material, said material being preferably of the same flexibility throughout but said button being provided with a rib .or raised portion adjacent the thread receiving openings therein for spacing the button from theanaterial to whichit' is -se cured and for reinforcing the same adjacent the stitches.

More particularly it is a purpose of'the invention to provide a button that has openings therein for receiving the stitches for securing the same to a garment with reinforcing means in the form of ribs or raised portions that extend from a point short of 3 the peripheral edge portion of the button across the central portion thereof. Either a single rib or a plurality of ribs may be provided. f

Other objects andadvantages ofthe invention will appear as the description of How- 'to the exact details shown or described, but that I intend to include as part of my invention all such obvious changes and inodi float-ions of parts as would occur to a person skilled in this art and as would fall within the scope of the ClttilDS. 1

In the drawings: 3 t Fig; 1 is about face view of niyiinproved button; I i a r Fig. i '2 .is a transverse sectional view thereof; j I r Fig. 3 is a rear face view thereof; and

Fig; 4 is a rear face view of a slightly different construction ofbutton.

1924. Serial no. 720,261.

Refer-ring in detail to the drawings, in Figs. 1 to 3 inclusive is shown a buttonhavlie and with a thickened portion gradua'la ly increasing in thickness from the shoulder 13 outwardly to a point spaced from the extreineouter edge thereof as indicated at lat from which point the surface of the but tonis curved convexly toward the outer 1 edge thereof as indicated at -15, the rear face 16 "of said button lying substantially in a plane and meeting the curved portion 1 5 of the front face thereof in a thinned edge portion 17. The rear face of the buttonis provided with a rib 18 which extends fbet-weenthe openings 11 and which terininates short of the peripheral edge 17 of said button, thus leavinga thinned edge around the entire periphery of the button, butproviding reinforced openings 11 :to preventthe cutting-viof the stitches or threads 'through the material of the button. The rib 1-8, it will be further noted, is thickest at the center 1'9Vthereof and gradually decreases in thickness toward the endsthereof inorgi-n'g with the face "16 at the opposite ends of said rib 18. Thus the button has considerable flexibility throughout both halves thereof on opposite sides of the rib 18-and also adjacent the outer or peripheral edge portionl't' thereof in line with the rib 18, but provides a portion of considerable strength adjacent the stitches extending through the openings 11, it being obvious that the stitches or threads willextend across from one opening 11 to the other; crossing the rib 19. V i

The button is preferably made of rubber or other resilient material or compounds of able that the butt-on be made of the saine ing a body portion 10 which 'is provided" with the operation thereof of passing the same through a button-l1ole as the peripheral edge is thin throughout the entire distane. around the button and there is no thick part closely adjacentthereto. The rib :lurther provides means for spaeing the button from the material of the garment so that the same cannot be sewed too closely to the garment ermittinothe necessary tilting of the button relative to the garment and at the same time provides the reinforcement to prevent cutting by the thread of the button. When rubber is used for the button, the mixture and cure is such that the button has considerable flexibility and resiliency and will restore to its normal position, no matter how far it is bent out o? slnnie Without any injury to the button. Buttons of this character may be made of any desired color by inserting the proper pigment in the rubber mixture and need not. necessarily be provided with any covering or coating oi? any kind in order to make the same of a desirable appea mice.

In Fig. 4; is shown a slightly diilerent form of button from that shown in Figs. 1 to 3 inclusive, the button in Fig. at comprising a body portion 10 which is the same shape as the body portion 10. The body portion 10 is provided with the openings 11 which are reinforced by the ribs 20. The ribs 90 maybe made in the form of a cross or X and are made ot the greatest thickness at the point of crossing 21 there of and gradually decrease in thickness to ward the ends 22 thereof.

Ol'iviously. While two holes are shown in the luitton. our number may be provided. as it is obvious from Fig. l that the thick portion .21 may be used as Well for :tour holes as for two and that it more holes are desirable, a different arraiurement; of ribs may be provided. The button in Fig. *1- is made of the same material as that shown in Figs. it to il inclusive and is made througln out of the same material just as is the button in Figs. 1 to 3. This button also has the periplieral edge portion 17 thereof, thin throughout the circumference thereof as the ribs terminate short of the peripheral edge, leaving; a thin edge portion between the ends thereof and the peripherv oi. the

1i. desired. the holes mar be elnni button. nated from the button 0t flexible material as the needle for stitching the buttons on the material will readily pierce the flexible material.

Having thus described my invention, What I desire to elain'i and secure by United States llietters Patent is:

1. A button having a body portion of flexible material. and a. reinforcing rib of flexible material extending: across the same and terminating short of the periphe a1 edge portion of said button.

:2. A button of resilient flexible material comprising a body portion and a reinforcement, said button being made of the same material of substantially the same density throiurhout.

3. A button of [terrible luaterial comprising a body portion and a reinforcement, said button being" made of the same material ll roiurhout. said body portion and said rein 'l't lenient being made integral. of the same flexible material. said reinforcement being of the same density id body portion.

A. button o'l. resilient flexible material eoinprising a body portion and an integal reintorceuient projecting therefron'i, said button being made oi? material of the same density and flexibility throughout.

A. button having a body portion of resilient flexible material provided with openings and a. reinforcement of resilient flexible material extending between said openings.

6. A button having; a body portion of resilient flexible material provided with open inns and an integral reinforcing rib of resilient flexible material extending between said openings.

7. A button having abody portion of resilient flexible material in'ovided with openings and an integral reinforcing rib of resilient flexible material extending between said openings and terminating short of the peripheral edge portion of said button.

8. A button having a body portion of exible material and a. reii'iioreiiur rib oil. flexible material extending across the same and terminating short oi? the peripheral edge portion of said button. said rib gradually decreasing in height from the middle t0- rvard the ends thereof.

9. A button having; a body portion of resilient, flexible material provided with openings, and a thickened portion oi resilient. flexible lnatmrial adjacent said openings on the rear side thereol providiim a reinforcement for said button. said button having a thinned peripheral ado-e portion extending entirel around the same. i

it". A. button having; a body portion 0t flexible material and a reinforcing}? rib of flexible material oxteudiinr across the same ARTHUR n. W'INsLoW.

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